Biological Approach

Question 1

Assumptions

Answer 1

human behaviour explained by hormones, genetics, evolution etc.
behav modified or removed using biological treatments as it is caused by biological causes

Question 2

Influence of genes on behaviour

Answer 2

• faulty genes cause diseases that have psychological effects
• look at genes that make people more likely to develop mental illnesses
• twin studies very useful for investigating

Question 3

Gottesman (1991)

Answer 3

• meta-analysis of 40 twin studies

Question 4

Findings(Gottesman)

Answer 4

having identical twins with schizophrenia gave you a 48% chance of developing teh condition - reduced to 17% in non-identical
twins

Question 5

However,

Answer 5

fact both twins developed schizophrenia in only about half the cases means other factor involved maybe environment.

Question 6

Conclusions(Gottesman)

Answer 6

• your nature has big impact on developing schizophrenia as identical twins have 100% same genetics, therefore higher chance of developing the condition compared to non-identical with only 50% shared

Question 7

Heston (1966)

Answer 7

an adoption study of schizophrenia

Question 8

What happened in study…

Answer 8

• 47 adopted children - biological mothers had schizophrenia were studied
• control group: 50 adopted children whose mothers didn’t have schizophrenia: interviewed as adults and given personality and intelligence tests.

Question 9

Results(heston)

Answer 9

in experimental group 5 of the 47 became schizophrenic, 4 borderline, 0 in control group were

Question 10

Study supports…

Answer 10

that your genetics do play a part in the development of schizophrenia

Question 11

BUT…

Answer 11

interview data can be unreliable and affected by what the person considers right or acceptable, social desirability bias

Question 12

Genetics overview

Answer 12

• egg & sperm join to make 46 chromosomes (23 each)
• chromosome made up of DNA
• genotype: collection of all the genes with each cell of an individual.
• phenotype: the characteristics that genes produce - can refer to behaviour from interaction between genotype & environment.

Question 13

Moderators

Answer 13

environment, peer group, schools, parents, education, media, biological factors (non-DNA)

Question 14

Neurochemistry

Answer 14

study of chemical processes which take place in the nervous system

Question 15

Receptor

Answer 15

specialised cells that detect stimuli.

Question 16

Stimulus

Answer 16

changes in the environment

Question 17

Effectors

Answer 17

carry out the response and are either muscles or glands

Question 18

CNS

Answer 18

the brain and the spinal cord

Question 19

Nerve

Answer 19

a bundle of neurons

Question 20

Nerve impulse

Answer 20

electrical message that passes along a neuron

Question 21

In the brain transmission…

Answer 21

of chemicals is in the cerebral fluid these are called neurotransmitters

Question 22

Phineas Gage: man with a hole in his head

Answer 22

• accident with rocks, spark created and causes a hole in his head.
• kept on living for another 12yrs
• however was a changed man: he was unreliable, partial to swearing & made inappropriate remarks - make disinhibited

Question 23

Was important to scientists as…

Answer 23

first time that damage to our brain could affect our behaviour and personality

-scientists came up with diff theories
- localisation
- showed all
parts of brain
could do
everything.

Question 24

Scans

Answer 24

PET - shows which part of brain is most active when thinking about diff things.
CAT - detect damaged parts of the brain
MRI - detailed info about brain structure.

Question 25

Maguire et al (2000)

Answer 25

study of taxi drivers brains

Question 26

Maguire et al (2000)

Answer 26

• in natural experiment, MRI scans from 16 licensed taxi drivers were compared with a control group who had never driven taxis.
• Average size of right posterior hippocampus was significantly larger in the taxi driver group, compared to control
• increased size relative to amount of time the driver had been working

Question 27

Conclusion(Maguire)

Answer 27

• longer time driving & working, larger hippocampus compared to control group

Question 28

Practical Application(Maguire)

Answer 28

used to help those with brain injuries as shows size of the structures are linked to cognitive activity.
Rehabilitation can be tailored to specific needs of individual.

Question 29

Evaluation: Strengths

Answer 29

• if we know how it is caused we are able to come up with a solution

Look for biological markers makes it more objective and reliable. However, treatments limited as we don’t know why they have it.

Able to keep an eye on people who are predisposed so there can be early intervention and help.

Provides scientific evidence to prove/disprove a theory

Question 30

Evaluation: weaknesses

Answer 30

Reductionist (largely

• it oversees some of the complexities seen in behaviour + those moderate variables
• variables outside of biology needs to be taken into account to understand behav

Question 31

Evaluation: weaknesses

Answer 31

Determinism

• human behav explained by genetics, can’t choose your genetics (no-free will)
• criminal responsibility?
• removes social responsibility as can just blame it on there genes